Royal Caribbean Blog

Another Royal Caribbean cruise ship has a test sailing scheduled.

Royal Caribbean confirmed on Thursday that Ovation of the Seas has received permission from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to start test cruises.

Ovation is one of a half dozen ships within the Royal Caribbean fleet to have gotten approval to start test cruises so far.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley confirmed the news on Facebook, along with sail dates.

Ovation will sail from Seattle to Alaska on July 30 to August 4th.

"Onwards and upwards ship by ship," Mr. Bayley added with the news.

Simulated voyages (also known as test cruises) are when cruise lines can operate ships with volunteer passengers in order to prove their new protocols work.

Read more: Everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean test cruises

These are not cruises you can book, but rather, are limited voyages where a cruise line invites certain unpaid volunteers to help go through all the necessary steps and procedures to ensure cruise ships can be run safely.

Each cruise ship needs to be approved by the CDC in order to conduct test cruises.

During these test cruises, Royal Caribbean will go through a variety of scenarios to prove to the CDC that the ship can conduct sailings in a safe manner. Specifically, the new protocols aimed at preventing Covid-19 from getting onboard the ship are at the heart of these dry runs.

Each ship must conduct at least one simulated cruise, and each voyage must be between 2-7 days in length with a least one overnight stay, including through embarkation, disembarkation, and post-disembarkation testing.

According to the CDC, passengers and crew must meet standards during the simulated voyage for hand hygiene, use of face masks, and social distancing for passengers and crew, as well as ship sanitation.

Royal Caribbean must modify meal service and entertainment venues to facilitate social distancing during the simulated voyage.

Canada's multi-year ban on cruise ships is coming to an end.

Canada's Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced today it will end its prohibition on cruise ships as of November 1, 2021.

Prior to today's announcement, the cruise ship ban was set to go through February 2022.

Effectively, the announcement means cruise ships can sail to Canada for the start of the traditional cruise season beginning in 2022.

"As Canadians have done their part to reduce the spread of COVID-19, our government continues to work hard to safely restart our economy and build back better," said said Alghabra, in a release Thursday.

"We will welcome cruise ships — an important part of our tourism sector — back in Canadian waters for the 2022 season."

Cruise ships have been banned since March 2020 in Canada due to the global health crisis, although unlike the United States, there had been no pathway for ships to restart until today.

Canada's cruise ship ban had a significant impact on cruise ships, which meant due to U.S. cabotage laws, ships were unable to conduct Alaska or New England cruises.

Canada banning cruise ships means cruise lines cannot legally offer cruises to Alaska or New England because of cabotage laws that require a foreign port to be visited during the sailing.

Cruises sailing from the United States must adhere to the Passenger Vessel Service Act of 1886 (sometimes referred to as the Jones Act).

For the 2021 cruise season, the United States passed a temporary waiver allowing cruise ships to bypass Canada, although that only helped Alaska cruises for this season.

Hours after Royal Caribbean announced it was making changes to its customer loyalty program, one change has been rolled back.

In a webinar on Wednesday, Royal Caribbean told travel agents one of the benefits for their top tier members was going away.

Crystal blocks are given to Diamond Plus guests periodically after they accrue enough points, but evidently many of these heavy blocks were being left behind on the ship.

Royal Caribbean said over 60% of guests that received a crystal block left it on the ship for one reason or another, leading the cruise line to announce they would distribute whatever stock they have left and then end the amenity.

That decision did not sit well with many cruise fans, who told Royal Caribbean exactly how they feel about that change.

While there may have been some guests that did not care for them, many others felt strongly about getting them.

Clearly Royal Caribbean heard the feedback loudly, and decided to continue the crystal block program.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley posted on Facebook on Wednesday evening that a formal announcement will be made, but the crystal blocks will continue.

"We will be posting an official update on the future of Crystal Blocks tomorrow, however, here’s a sneak peek.   Crystal Blocks will remain!"

Mr. Bayley said Crown and Anchor members will now have the option to either have the bocks delivered onboard, delivered at home, or decline them completely.

The new options are aimed at ensuring many blocks do not end up in the trash.

The same cruise fans who were upset at the change celebrated the policy reversal.

barbeyg loved the change back, "It is funny how the smallest of things can lift the spirits. Made my day!"

smokeybandit thinks cruise fans may have surprised the company with their response, "I assume they got a bit more negative feedback on that move than they expected."

Royal Caribbean is no stranger to reversing policies due to strong customer feedback.  From honoring the $18 drink package error, to grandfathering in Oasis Class neighborhood perks, the cruise line listens very closely to their loyal customers.

Read more: Five times Royal Caribbean changed its mind after announcing something

How to earn a crystal block

Crystal blocks are a recognition of loyalty and for achieving milestones in the Crown and Anchor Society.  

Once you reach 140 points in Crown and Anchor Society, you earn a crystal block from the ship you happen to be on at the time.

You then earn a new block every 70 points you accure thereafter. 

The block you get is from the ship you are on when you cross the point threshold.

With Royal Caribbean restarting cruise ships again, comes many changes, including to their customer loyalty program.

The Crown and Anchor Society program has undergone a number of changes, some temporary and some permanent.

Nancy Ramos, Royal Caribbean International's Director of Onboard Branding, Communications & Loyalty, spoke to travel agents in a webinar on Wednesday to go over the changes made, and outline which will revert back later.

Guests sailing on early cruises have experienced many of the changes, but other changes may have gone overlooked.  More importantly, it was not clear which changes would be reverted at a later date.

Most of the changes are enhancements or additions, although there are a few benefits that have been temporarily rescinded and fewer that have been permanently removed.

Here is a breakdown of the changes, and what to expect going forward as you cruise.

Permanent changes

One of the most popular changes so far has been Royal Caribbean's shift with drink package vouchers.

Instead of a few select drinks they can use in the evening, Royal Caribbean has revamped its offerings to allow at least 4 beverage vouchers for Diamond and higher guests in Crown and Anchor, which are good all day and at any bar (except Starbucks).

This includes alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, and includes any beverage up to $13 per drink ($14 on ships from the UK).

Royal Caribbean also made enhancements to the youth benefits, where kids can now qualify for the same internet WiFi discount that their parents have always had.

Other program enhancements include changes to some entertainment offered to Crown and Anchor Society members, along with standardizing some other offerings.

"Because we can no longer take our members behind the scenes and take them backstage to see the actual props and costumes and all of that. We're trying to bring this to life through a masterclass type event onboard."

Ms. Ramos said they tested this out on Adventure of the Seas, but it is being refined so it offers a combination of live entertainment and backstage videos of where guests can no longer visit.

In terms of the reserved seating, this benefit is changing due to limited capacity and health protocols.

"What we agreed to do is that let's open the theater doors earlier to our Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members, allowing them to come into the theater and select the see that benefits them."

Something else Royal Caribbean did was to simplify the loyalty status match between Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society and Celebrity Cruises' Captain's Club.

Temporary changes

Some of the changes made to Crown and Anchor Society are in place now, but the plan is to revert them later on.

Most of these temporary changes are due to social distancing and other Covid-19 related protocols.

The most notable change is the reduced capacity in the Diamond Lounge, but the expectation is to roll that back once the cruise line is able to based on government guidance.

"The reality is that we are dependent on the local authorities and health guidance from the CDC, " Ms. Ramos explained to travel agents. 

"And as soon as we can lift this restriction and this capacity limit, we will and it will be like it was pre pandemic."

Discontinued benefits

Royal Caribbean completely got rid of three benefits due to either limited guest use or other program changes.

UPDATE: Royal Caribbean has reversed the decision, and will continue to offer crystal blocks.

The crystal blocks have been a cornerstone of the Crown and Anchor program, where a guest would recieve a paperweight block every so often after accruing enough points.

Ms. Ramos said according to the cruise line's internal data, over 60% of guests were leaving their crystal blocks on the ship when they left for any number of reasons.

"It's a beautiful recognition. However, we understand that a lot of people didn't have space in their luggage, it was heavy to carry back home, et cetera.

The plan right now is to distribute whatever crystal blocks they have left, but then end that benefit.

"We are looking at other ways to still recognize our members through a special appearance with the loyalty ambassador and something that they can still use to commemorate that that milestone."

The tuxedo rental program was something very few people were using, according to Ms. Ramos.  

And the reduced rate upgrades has become obsolete with the RoyalUp program.

Cruise ships are sailing again from North America and Europe, and it has the top executive at the Royal Caribbean Group quite happy.

Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO, shared a new video update with travel agents on Wednesday, celebrating that twenty one ships in his company are now back in the water and offering cruises.

Mr. Fain returned recently from sailing on Celebrity Edge and Freedom of the Seas, and sees a positive outlook for the industry, despite some challenges.

Thus far, the 21 ships sailing break down as follows:

• 5 from Royal Caribbean International
• 6 from Celebrity Cruises
• 2 from SilverSea
• 5 from TUI Cruises
• 3 from Hapag-Lloyd

Getting so many ships back into service was no simple task, and Mr. Fain talked about how they got things moving, "I've been asked why our restart is happening so fast, how we are getting so many of our ships sailing so quickly.

"The answer is simple. We believed in our people, and we believed in the science. We prepared, we started preparing early because we knew what was happening and because we wanted to get the flywheel of demand going early."

"I've never seen the level of enthusiasm, of excitement and of gratitude that I've experienced on these cruises," Mr. Fain said after being able to sail again.

Mr. Fain saw equal enthusiasm from guests and from crew members. He said crew members saw the return of cruising as a "literal lifeline" after months of no work.  Guests celebrated the return of cruising as a way to escape all the isolation and letdowns of the past months.

The cruise industry is far from clear of any concerns or dangers to their businesses, but Mr. Fain said there will always be challenges to overcome, "There are always immediate issues. Covid-19 is not going away, but it is slowly getting under better control."

"The vast majority of people onboard our ships are vaccinated. And this percentage will only climb. In addition, the testing regimens and the available therapies mean that cruising can properly aspire to be not only as safe as other vacations, but more so."

According to Mr. Fain, that is not to say that they are disregarding thing such as the delta variant, "We shouldn't ignore the present challenges. We should be concerned about the recent increase in cases and the impact of the variants."

"We need to manage today carefully. But if we only obsess about the present, we will fail to prepare for the future and we must keep our eye firmly on that future that we can all see is coming."

Florida is now on the receiving end of a lawsuit regarding the cruise industry restarting.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) has sued the State of Florida because of its ban on companies operating within the state asking customers if they are vaccinated or not.

In May, Florida passed a new law that among other things, bans Covid-19 vaccine passports in the state.

The ban prohibits businesses, schools, and government agencies from requiring people to show documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccinations or post-infection recovery before gaining entry.

The bill took effect on July 1, 2021.

Hat tip to The Points Guy for alerting us to this news.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court on Tuesday by NCLH and is directed at Florida's Surgeon General, Scott Rivkees.

In the lawsuit, NCLH wants an injunction against the state law.

According to Norwegian, the law prevents them from operating cruise ships safely, "NCLH is doing so as a last resort after the State of Florida has indicated that it is otherwise preventing NCLH from safely and soundly resuming passenger cruise operations from Miami, Florida, starting August 15, 2021, in the way that this cruise line has determined will be best for all concerned—with the benefit of documentation confirming that all of its passengers and crew have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19."

NCLH believes the law puts them, "in an impossible dilemma" to operate sailings from Florida.  In their view, they would either have to be "on the wrong side of health and safety" or on the wrong side of Florida law.

As a result, the lawsuit is the cruise line's only option.

Violating Florida's law and asking for proof of vaccination would cost the company $5,000 per passenger in fines.

If the injunction is not granted, Norwegian would not be able to offer cruises from Florida, which would be a "devastating, unrecoverable loss for everyone" including the cruise line, as well as tens of thousands of passengers, employees, and stakeholders who rely on the cruise industry.

As of July 9, the CDC approved the Norwegian Gem to begin sailings, and Norwegian's plan is for requiring proof that 100% of passengers and crew have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

In addition to living up to the requirements of federal law, which require at least 95% of cruise ship passengers to be fully vaccinated, NCLH believes the "potential spread of the severe and highly contagious Delta variant is another factor driving NCLH’s decision to require 100% vaccination on its voyages."

"If the Florida Ban is enforced against NCLH, however, these voyages will be placed at risk of cancellation, disruption, and possible COVID-19 outbreak, resulting in a substantial loss of revenue, losses of wages for NCLH’s crew, harm to NCLH’s brand, goodwill, and reputation with past and potential passengers, as well as substantial, adverse impacts on interstate and foreign commerce. Worst of all, human life and safety would be placed at undue risk."

How is Florida's ban affecting Royal Caribbean?

Unlike Norwegian, Royal Caribbean is not seeking all, or even 95% of its cruise passengers, be fully vaccinated.

Instead, Royal Caribbean came up with specific rules for cruise ships sailing from Florida ports, where it is up to the guest to voluntarily inform the cruise line they are vaccinated.

As a workaround, guests are given an online form to optionally disclose if they vaccinated.

If the guest states they are not vaccinated, or does not answer, Royal Caribbean will treat them as an unvaccinated passenger.

Unvaccinated passengers may not have access to all venues onboard a ship, such as certain restaurants, bars, or lounges.

Unvaccinated passengers get a hole punched in their SeaPass card, while fully vaccinated passengers wear a wristband to easily identify them as vaccinated to other guests and crew.

In other states that Royal Caribbean is planning to sail from, vaccine mandates are in place.

Your chance to help test out a Royal Caribbean cruise ship as it prepares to return to service might be coming soon.

Royal Caribbean posted on Facebook that it will begin picking randomly from its list of well over a quarter of a million volunteers to come aboard a test cruise.

The cruise line has received over 350,000 registrations from cruise fans who would love to go on a complimentary cruise in exchange for testing out new health protocols onboard.

According to Royal Caribbean's post, they will pick the lucky folks this week, and invite them to go on an upcoming simulated voyage.

Test cruises are mandated sailings by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) that are necessary before a ship can be approved to sail with paying passengers again.

Thus far, two Royal Caribbean cruise ships have conducted test sailings, Freedom of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas.

At least five more test sailings are scheduled between now and the end of July, with another two very likely.

• Allure of the Seas – July 27 from Port Canaveral
• Symphony of the Seas – Aug. 1 from PortMiami
• Independence of the Seas –  Aug. 1 from Port of Galveston
• Mariner of the Seas – Aug. 11 from Port Canaveral
• Oasis of the Seas – Aug. 22 from Cape Liberty
• Ovation of the Seas no date set, but CDC just waiting on confirmation from Royal Caribbean it has installed its laboratory testing equipment and tested its crew
• Odyssey of the Seas planned out of Port Everglades (Royal Caribbean International to provide sailing dates)

Read more: Everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean test cruises

"The time is here," Royal Caribbean announced with excitement. "This week we’ll be randomly selecting and extending invites to registered Volunteers to participate in upcoming simulation cruises."

If you have already applied, keep checking your email "in the coming days" for an invite.

If you haven't registered yet, please do so at: https://bit.ly/VolunteersoftheSeas.

Royal Caribbean will shut down new registrations for test cruises tonight, July 13, 2021, at 11:59 PM EST.

Why is Royal Caribbean doing test cruises?

Some have wondered why Royal Caribbean International did not follow sister brand Celebrity Cruises in mandating 95% of its guests be fully vaccinated, and it has to do with the fact Royal Caribbean International is a family brand.

The simple answer is families, as Royal Caribbean is a family brand and too many children are not eligible yet to be vaccinated. 

Royal Caribbean International's senior vice president of Hotel Operations, Mark Tamis, emphasized the decision to conduct test sailings was an easy one for the cruise line, "When the first set of potential regulations were published, it was such an obvious choice of the path that we had to go down."

"Once there were two clear paths, 95% or under 95%, it wasn’t even really a consideration."

Mr. Tamis called the decision "obvious" given how many kids sail with Royal Caribbean, along with the cruise line's dedication to remaining a family brand. "A good 20 to 25 percent of our guests are kids."

Read more: Families and kids are the reason why Royal Caribbean is doing test cruises

Who is eligible for a test cruise?

The minimum requirements to be a volunteer will be you must be 18 or older, as well as have written proof the person has no pre-existing medical conditions that would place them at high-risk for Covid-19.

One of the things Royal Caribbean worked on during the 15 month shutdown was revamping its fleetwide beverage menu.

Across Royal Caribbean's ships, the base menu for cocktails, mocktails, and low/no alcohol drinks has been updated.

Rest assured, all of your favorite, typical vacation cocktails are still available, such as piña coladas, daiquiris, and mojitos.  This new menu is an opportunity to bring new drink ideas to guests who might be interested in something different.

This new menu will be available at all bars and lounges which do not have a specialized menu of their own.  

You will be able to find this menu at locations like the Schooner Bar, Viking Crown Lounge, Boleros and more.

Off the bat, you can see the menu pays homage to the Caribbean islands, with not only the name of each drink, but the country where it was invented.

Colorful maps are included to provide context.

Something else you may notice is Royal Caribbean has licensed certain drinks, such as the Dark 'n Stormy and Pain killer.

For a bar to sell a drink with the official name, they need to serve the cocktail with the official liquor and ensure the pour is accurate, per the manufacturer's requirements.

Of course, Royal Caribbean has plenty of beers to pick from as well.

While you won't find as many beers on a cruise ship as on land, they stock some of the most popular types, both foreign and domestic.

If wine is your thing, you'll find a selection of wines by the glass or by the bottle.

Not all wines are available by the glass, but there are various brands from regions around the world.

If you purchase a bottle of wine, you can bring it to any bar, restaurant, or even back to your cabin to enjoy as you see fit.

A trend Royal Caribbean looked to capitalize on with its new drink menu are cocktails that aren't super sweet or "heavy" so that guests can enjoy the drinks with less guilt.

These sort of drinks are ideal for consuming outdoors in the warm Caribbean sun.

If you're looking for a shot or liquor served neat, there are a wide array of choices.

Not only are these liquors available to choose from, but most are included with a Royal Caribbean drink package.

Another trend Royal Caribbean is hopping on is the low-alcohol and no-alcohol drinks bandwagon.

Whether someone doesn't drink alcohol or simply wants to limit the amount they intake, these can be great alternatives.

The new menu is inspired by some of the signature Caribbean islands Royal Caribbean has traditionally visited, and as a way of honoring these destionations, a popular drink recipe was highlighted from each spot.

Linken D'​Souza, Global Vice President Culinary, Dining & Beverage, talked about the menu change as an opportunity to move the menu offerings forward.

He said his team worked on, "identifying drinks that are really signature drinks to those islands and bringing them onboard the ship."

"We've really leveraged that time to to focus on the program, fine-tune the experience, build these amazing cocktails."

"It's like bringing a port of call to your experience onboard the ship. And maybe you have the cocktail on board and you get off from the island and you say, hey, I got to get one of those here to see how close they are."

Some of the new signature cocktails that Royal Caribbean highlighted include:

• Goombay Smash (Bahamas)
• Planter's Punch (Jamaica)
• Papa Jac (Puerto Rico)
• The Painkiller (British Virgin Islands)
• Dark 'n Stormy (Bermuda)
• Rum Puinch (Barbados)

The new drink menus are available on all the cruise ships in the fleet.

One of the highest rated places to spend a day while your cruise is I. Freeport, Grand Bahama Island is the Grand Lucayan resort. What is it like spending your day there, and is it worth it?

Royal Caribbean is in negotiations to purchase this resort as the centerpiece for a massive new project, but in the meantime the resort is in a state of limbo as most of it remains shutdown. 

Nonetheless, the Grand Lucayan is a compelling choice for a shore excursion for families looking to spend the day by the beach or pool. 

Overview

The Grand Lucayan resort has a long history as the premier hotel on Grand Bahama Island, but lapses in ownership combined with hurricane damage have left the resort in a less than ideal situation. The resort is owned by the Bahamian government at the moment, although Royal Caribbean has intentions to purchase the resort and transform it into a new world-class destination with a one-of-a-kind hotel, convention center, water adventure park and more.

In the meantime, the Grand Lucayan is split among two resorts: The Grand Lucayan and Lighthouse Pointe at Grand Lucayan.  Currently, only Lighthouse Pointe is open.

Cruise ship passengers can purchase an all-inclusive day pass to the resort by calling the resort directly. At the time we visited, the day pass rate is $75 per adult, and $65 for kids.

The all inclusive option includes food and drinks at all the restaurants at Lighthouse Pointe, house wines by the glass, local beers, and bottled beers and some premium liquors.

Perrier Water, Vitamin water, Gatorade, Wine by the bottle, and top shelf brands are not included.

You also have to pay for a taxi to get to or from the resort, which costs about $35 each way.

Like most hotels that offer a day pass, you check-in at the front desk and are given wristbands for use during the day.

The two big things that the Grand Lucayan offers is a large infinity pool and sprawling beach.

There is also a lap pool and hot tub you can use. Kids are not allowed in the hot tub.

The beach was manicured and groomed, with little debris around. While it was overcast on the day we visited, the ocean was lovely and the sand at the beach was powdery soft.

There are lots of chairs and umbrellas near the pool, and a few chairs under palapas at the beach. On the day we visited, there was no waiter service, but there is a nearby bar that opened at 11am to get drinks and food.

The pool bar has a menu of burgers, wings, fish and salads to choose from.  I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food.

All the food and drinks we ordered were included with the all inclusive option, so it was just a matter of signing off for what we ordered for the pool bar's record keeping.

Comments

Being a day guest, the resort delivered exactly what it advertised: a relaxing day by the pool or beach with food and drinks to enjoy.

Clearly the resort is in need of upkeep, and in the case of the other side of the resort, a major gutting and rework.  It sounds like if Royal Caribbean completes the deal to purchase the resort, that will be in the plan.

On our visit, it was quite strange that there were barely any other guests around at all. For the first hour or two, we did not see anyone else at the beach or pool.

By the time we departed the resort, we saw perhaps 10 other guests in total. That is not a bad thing, as we got to enjoy the facilities without any crowds, chair hogs, or large groups.  But if you are looking for a lively party atmosphere, it was not there.

Like any all inclusive option, the question comes up of getting your money's worth.  I enjoyed the facilities, but I am quite certain we did not break even on the food or drink included.

Overall, I was happy with our time hanging by the pool, and walking by the ocean. Our ship's time in port (7:00am to 3:30pm) made for a short visit, but it was a nice day.

For 15 months, cruise fans were left wondering when cruises would actually restart.  While that restart is now happening, some questions remain about what to expect going forward.

To be fair, most of these questions have no answers because even Royal Caribbean may not know realistically what to expect, but they remain some of the most frequently asked questions among people who have cruises booked.

If you are as excited as I am about cruises restarting, you might also be tracking these issues. 

The good news, is you are not missing the answer somewhere, but unfortunately there are no answers yet.

Will there be more cruise cancellations?

There are more and more ships restarting, but more cruise cancellations are not out of the question either.

Sailings from Seattle, Galveston and Florida are starting up, but most of the fleet is still sitting idle. So will there be more cruise cancellations, and when can we expect to hear about them?

Australia is going to be shutdown for a while, but even within the scope of North America, when will the parade of cancelled cruises finally come to an end?

How limited is the capacity?

On ships that have restarted, Royal Caribbean has provided no specific guidance for how many passengers each ship will be limited to.

Before any sailings restarted, Royal Caribbean talked in general terms about limited capacity starting out around 40-60%, but some of the early sailings on Freedom of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas appeared to be slightly under that threshold.

So what should cruisers expect in terms of limited capacity for cruises this summer or fall? 

When will limited capacity end?

Piggy-backing on the last question, how long will ships be running at limited capacity?

Not only is Royal Caribbean looking to get its ships back into service, but the company is looking to return to profitability, and that only happens when all of their ships are operating at near peak capacity.

It is anyone's guess how long ships will remain at a limited capacity, although guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) as well as the state of the Covid-19 threat will play a major factor in that decision.

What will the health protocols be like this fall, winter or next year?

Besides limited capacity, many cruisers are eager to know what it will be like onboard when they sail in September and beyond.

Royal Caribbean has released health protocols for July and August, but it is difficult to know what rules will be in place going forward.

Just like limited capacity, the exact protocols may be dictated by where things stand with the global health crisis.

When will the rest of the ships in the fleet restart?

You may have read about scheduled test cruises for a half dozen ships, but what about the other ships in the fleet?

Thus far, we don't know when many ships will be scheduled for test cruises, revenue sailings, or in what order. Royal Caribbean appears to have outlined its summer restart plans, and will see how those go before announcing other options.

Just like the ships sailing this summer, Royal Caribbean plans their cards close to the vest, and that means they will not divulge plans until they are pretty much firmed up.

Cruise fans who love to cruise from ports like Baltimore, San Juan, or Tampa are equally interested to know when ships will return to their homeports.

Read more: Live on Royal Caribbean's first cruise ship to restart from the United States

When will The Key be offered again?

One of the most popular add-ons you can buy for a cruise is The Key, and it has been missing in action since the restart began.

The Key is a program open to guests who wish to pay for added perks and benefits, such as priority embarkation, special access to signature activities, and more.

The Key is very popular among those new to the cruise line, and it is not clear yet when it might come back in the short term.

Read more: Here’s what ‘The Key’ is (and why some cruisers like it)

When will online check-in open for my cruise?

Before the cruise industry shutdown, online check-in always opened at 90 days before sailing, but now when check-in opens up is a surprise.

Online check-in is super important because your check-in time at the terminal matters, and getting a later check-in time means waiting longer to get onboard.

Slowly, online check-in is opening up for more sailings further out, but it is far from standardized across the fleet.